The river is first mentioned in the 17th century in connection with the Russian conquest of Siberia.
In 1634, Russian Cossacks, headed by Voin Shakhov, established a winter settlement at the confluence of the Vilyuy and Tyuken Rivers. This settlement served as the administrative center of the area for several decades, after which it was moved to the Yolyonnyokh area 45 kilometers (28 mi) down by the Vilyuy River, where the ostrog (fortified settlement) of Olensk (now Vilyuysk) was founded in 1773.[citation needed]

In the 1950s diamond deposits were discovered in the area, about 700 kilometres (430 mi) from its mouth. This led to the construction of the Mir Mine, together with access roads and an airport, and the Vilyuy Dam complex to generate power needed for the diamond concentrators.